A New Thing

Before I sat down to write, I knew it had been a long time since my last post in this blog. But I was surprised when I saw that my most recent post was nearly two years ago! Like the last post, I am writing today as temperatures drop and winter approaches. As I cut back some of our shrubs and flowering vines, the backyard is beginning to look barren. In fact, the past two years have seemed barren, with never-ending reports of COVID-19 lockdowns, surges and new strains. 

I turned 60 this year, which means I am considered “senior” in some circles. The occasional senior discount is always welcome! But I can’t help noticing the stereotypes that persist about people over 60. Even in some churches, it’s not unheard of to see a maximum cutoff age of 45 for ordained ministry. In many ways, the world tells us that after a “certain age,” we are barren — not just regarding our ability to bear children, but our ability to contribute and inspire. 

 

I beg to differ. I’ve lost count of the number of older people God uses in the Bible. There’s Noah, Moses, Sarah and Elizabeth. Hannah cried out to the Lord and gave birth to Samuel. Naomi lost her sons and Ruth lost her husband in an age when no husband or sons meant no future. But both women carried on with faith and grit and found new hope. Barrenness is not a life sentence in the Lord’s eyes.

“…the LORD remembered her plea, and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, ‘I asked the LORD for him.’” 1 Samuel

 1:19-20 (NLT)

“The LORD kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised.” Genesis 21:1 (NLT)

“Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the LORD, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!” Ruth 4:14-15 (NLT)

 

But barrenness doesn’t always refer to childlessness. We can experience many kinds of dry spells that make life seem like a wasteland. We long to conceive and give birth to something new. We cry out to God and wonder if our cries are heard. 

 

At times during the past two years, I felt adrift in a spiritual wasteland. I believed that something new was waiting to be born, and I rushed here and there trying to make it happen. I busied myself with church work, becoming a Deacon and eventually Deacon Moderator. The work blessed me richly, but I still felt depleted and sad. Then I immersed myself in Zen Buddhism, where I met lovely people but still felt spiritually and creatively exhausted.

 

Things began to turn around this summer and fall. I was intrigued by a sign announcing that a new church was holding worship services about a block from our house. “Love God. Love people,” the sign said. Then a couple of weeks ago, I was waiting for a city bus, heading home after doing errands. A young man sat next to me and began talking about Jesus and the Bible. 

 

“I hope you and your husband will open that book,” he said. We did. And I finally started attending the new church. It’s tiny — 30 people at most — but growing.

 

At my new church, we are studying the book of Ruth. I am reminded that God uses our circumstances to achieve His purpose for our lives. Like Ruth and Naomi, we can feel lost and even bitter. We work and wonder if we are still part of God’s plan. 

Image by ollis-picture via Pixabay

 

But God still has a purpose for me. I see hints of it with every “coincidence” and prompting. Where I once saw bewilderment and disappointment, I now sense a creative stirring. A quickening. A new story waiting to be born.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

“Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

 

How about you? When have you experienced barrenness and cried out to God? What are the wombs that God has opened in your life? What new thing is waiting to be born?

When Winter Comes Early

“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Luke 12:27 (ESV)

Our first snowfall cam a bit early this year. In many ways, the year 2020 has seemed liked an endless winter. During the COVID-19 lockdown in the spring, I was grateful for the refreshing beauty of our Idaho garden. Throughout the summer, I wanted to hold onto the colors and fragrances of the roses, mock orange, day lilies and — most of all — the purple lilac.

 

Purple lilac is the state flower of my native state, New Hampshire, and its sweet fragrance always triggers fond childhood memories. This year, the memories were especially poignant as my mom moved into a nursing home after a heart attack in July. The restrictions of COVID-19 made visits few and far between. I spent many afternoons sitting in our backyard, talking to my mom on the phone while looking at our beloved flowering shrubs and vines. 

When my mom passed away in October, the dwindling daylight hours matched my darkened state of mind. Grief became a heavy blanket that threatened to smother me. I desperately looked for a sign of hope. 

I found that sign in our lilac shrub, which holds springtime in its branches, even when winter comes early! You see, lilacs begin to form next year’s flower buds soon after they finish blooming. If you look closely, you can see these buds at the ends of the branches. 

It’s like seeing next spring in the middle of winter! I love that about plants — when the landscape looks dead and dreary, good things are already happening. 

“The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.” Song of Solomon 2:12 (ESV)

Just as we can picture buds forming in the dead of winter, we can have faith that new beginnings are already underway. Grief, disappointment and other difficult passages bring winter’s chill into our lives. But hope has a way of sneaking up on us, even if we can’t see it at the moment. I see next year’s lilac buds and remember new life, resurrection, unexpected joy. 

Amen.

Our Own Worst Enemy?

As I read my Bible-in-a-year chapters the other day, I was struck by a couple of verses in Psalm 69. With online Easter worship still fresh in my mind, the verses reminded me of the power of Christ’s love, sacrifice and resurrection.

We’ve been living through strange and frightening times with this pandemic. As we shelter in place, it’s easy to feel besieged — by loneliness, boredom, fear, viruses. Our fears loom large after yet another sleepless night.

“Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.”
Ps 69:4

Yet when we feel overwhelmed by it all, we remember the love that led One to “restore what He did did not steal.” We can loosen our grip, even if it’s just a little at first. As my 12-step program teaches, we can surrender to our higher power “just for today.”

“Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me.” Ps 69:15

But can’t our own thoughts behave like enemies? We worry about loved ones, opinions of others, even the next Presidential election. I know that when I’m tired or overwhelmed, my own thoughts seem to “engulf me” or “swallow me up.” Can you relate?

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” 2 Peter 1:2

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

Whether a threat is external or internal, God’s grace and peace never change. We are the ones who come and go, who hold tightly to our fears. But the more we seek knowledge of God, the more we can recognize God’s grace and peace.

Grateful for the One who paid what He did not owe, restored what He did not steal.

I hope this post finds you well!

Tarnished Silver Lining?

I had big plans for the COVID-19 stay-at-home period. I would stay positive and savor the renewed sense of fellowship and caring I was witnessing in our community. Neighbors ran errands (and still do!) for their at-risk neighbors. Stores offered cure-side delivery and set aside shopping hours for elderly and high-risk customers. Brightly colored, encouraging chalk art appeared on local sidewalks. 

In short, we counted our blessings and noted how staying apart was drawing us closer. It was easy to find a silver lining to this dangerous time. 

But now, that silver lining has tarnished. Terror seeps in as the death toll continues to rise. On the news, we see field hospitals in New York’s Central Park. We hear reports of thousands of deaths in nursing homes — more than we previously realized. We worry obsessively about vulnerable loved ones. We miss seeing friends at the coffee shop, church or the gym. We carry out the surreal tasks of making protective masks, rationing toilet paper and wondering if the grocery shelves will be stocked today. In fact, it’s been weeks since I’ve set foot in a store.

How do I “stay positive” when each day looks less and less like the life I took for granted? The truth is, I can’t. None of us can, and we don’t have to because we can’t hold it together indefinitely.

We’re in good company, in fact. Even faith heroes of the Bible had moments when all they could do was wring their hands and sit with their pain. King David said it well, many times:

“My heart is afflicted, and withered like grass;

I even forget to eat my bread.” Psalm 102:4

“I am worn out from my groaning.

All night long I flood my bed with weeping

and drench my couch with tears.” Psalm 6:6

Then we are reminded that we are not alone:

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

Sometimes all we can do is lean on the One who can carry all our burdens. We still can’t see beyond the next report of confirmed COVID-19 cases. We still don’t know when we’ll be able to browse in a bookstore or celebrate a friend’s birthday in person. 

All we can do is take God’s word for it — that we are loved with a love that is bigger than we can comprehend. Somehow that love keeps us hanging on,  giving us eyes to see our present day sacrifices as acts of love. 

So we get out of bed another day, still bewildered by the statistics and warnings that bombard us. Who wouldn’t be? 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

I’ve often relied on this verse when my soul needs rest and refreshment. But today, I am struck by the words, “learn from me.” During a time of sheltering in place and social distancing, I certainly have the time and space to sit at His feet and listen, as did Martha’s sister Mary:

“She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.” Luke 10:39

For now, I will take Jesus up on His offer, not just to find rest, but to learn from Him. Maybe the lessons will come during prayer, or quiet moments in the garden, or even in the midst of worry. 

“I will give you rest.”

We sure need it.

Ready and Unsteady

At my church’s Christmas Eve service last night, we recited a call to worship that I needed to hear. It was Madeleine L’Engle’s First Coming, which begins:

He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
and prisoners cried out for release.

As we recited these lines, my thoughts immediately turned toward national and global issues: international conflict, refugees, climate change. I had needed that reminder that God sent his Son in a time of deep anguish. Jesus walked among us as we were, not as He hoped we would be.

But during my quiet time today, it occurred to me that L’Engle’s poem also speaks to me as an individual. How many times have I shied away from a prompting or calling, feeling “unsteady” and certainly not “ready”? But we have a God who works in us when we step into God’s plan.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

It defies conventional wisdom, doesn’t it? So many times we are required to pass a test, prove our qualifications, list our experiences, produce references. It’s no wonder that we shrug off that calling, assuming that God “can’t mean me.”

This year, I’ve challenged myself to follow those promptings. I began the formation process and took my novice vows for the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans. I volunteered to teach an adult Sunday School class. After months — years, actually — of discernment, I am considering training to become a spiritual director.

“The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:23 (NLT)

Do I feel qualified to do by of these things? Nope. For now I will rest in the knowledge that God’s perspective is a heck of a lot better than mine. If I am correctly discerning a calling, the necessary guidance and pathways will be there if I cooperate. And God’s loving course corrections will keep me moving toward His purpose for my life.

So take heart in God’s purpose for your life. As Madeleine L’Engle wrote,

“We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice.”

Season’s blessings to you!

5 Verses for the Caregiver Journey

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9 (NIV)

Like millions of other adults in the United Stares, I am a caregiver. If you are reading this, chances are you either are a caregiver or know someone who is a caregiver. In their 2015 report, the AARP Public Policy Institute and National Caregiver Alliance found that 34.2 million adults had been a caregiver to an adult age 50 or older in the previous 12 months.

There are many moments of worry and uncertainty for both caregivers and loved ones. We can feel inadequate during this life-affirming journey, as we hope to give the best care and share joys as well as worries with our loved ones. I have found Scripture verses that provide encouragement during those times, and would like to share them with you.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT). We look to God for guidance — in prayer and waiting on Him. When I feel inadequate to the task, it’s because I am — unless I turn to God, that is! God has the eternal perspective and infinite wisdom to guide our steps.

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8 (NIV) This verse is a good reminder for caregivers and care recipients alike that a place of peace is always with us. The Greek word for “safety” also means “refuge.” The Greek for “dwell” means to settle, remain, or even marry. No matter what is worrying us, the Lord invites us to live permanently in this refuge!

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me the strength for my work because he knew he could trust me.” 1 Timothy 1:12 (CEV) Here’s some more Greek for you: the origin for “strengthen” also means “fill will power.” Our strength comes from Christ, who not only provides but fills us with His strength.  And I remember that Christ has faith in me as well!

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) Yes He does. He not only lets us lay our worries at His feet; He welcomes it and loves it when we rely on Him.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9  Caregiving is a beautiful, truly pro-life act. As we serve as the hands and feet of Jesus, we remember this command.

Monday Eye-Opener: Decisions, Decisions

Decisions, decisions. What to do first? As you sip your coffee, do you find yourself running through your to-do list? Is there a deadline or decision that kept you awake Sunday night? Something about Monday morning makes those tasks and decisions loom larger than usual. 

Help sure would be welcome about now!

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

God’s word indeed offers unsurpassed wisdom to help us cope with deadlines, decisions and uncertainty. I find that the more I read and meditate on Scripture, the more sure-footed I feel in stressful times. Memorizing verses gives me a ready supply of hope and peace at a moment’s notice.

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” James 3:17 (NASB)

Where else can you find wisdom with all these attributes? And God’s wisdom and mercy are 100 percent reliable, “unwavering, without hypocrisy.” All we have to do is ask for God’s guidance — and most importantly, listen with a humble, teachable, and obedient heart.

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV)

So as the week begins, let’s remember that the wisest, most reliable ally we could ask for is with us always. He wants to hear your prayers and questions. He’s never too busy or stressed out. Bring your concerns to Him, whether they’re about work, a relationship, school, health or anything else that kept you awake last night. What are the “great and hidden things” that you can learn, if you only ask?

Have a blessed week!

Monday Eye-Opener: Chosen by Him

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” Ephesians 1:3-5 (NASB)

Admittedly, this is a loaded Scripture passage for a Monday Eye-Opener. I’ve listened to wonderful sermons that focus on just one of these verses. But I wanted to share several phrases that stand out for me this morning — especially on the day of the week that usually seems the most daunting.

“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (v. 4) Now that’s enough right there. Even before He created the world, He wanted to bless us. The word “chose” has a wonderful, telling Greek meaning: “to pick out for myself. Even before He created the world, He wanted to create us (you!) for Himself. He already knew He loved us and wanted us.

“In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” (v. 4-5) In Christ, we are adopted as children of God. It was love that drove Him to call us His own. It was an act of His will or — according to the Greek origin — His desire.

So let that sink in as you pour that second cup of coffee.

You are wanted and loved. God knew this before there was a planet Earth, let alone before He met you. You are His precious child.

Keep that thought front and center as you start the week.

Walking In the “Not Yet”

To me, mid-March is a perfect times for Lent. Just as we walk through the wilderness with Jesus, we walk through the drab, brown and gray remains of winter. We know that the resurrection is coming, and we know that soon it will be time to break ground and plant seeds. We rejoice that it will be here soon, but we ache because we can’t see it today.

So what do we do as we walk through the “not yet?” I have wondered that very thing in recent mornings, as I walk our dog. I search for those first splashes of color among last November’s dried leaves and brown grass.

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.” James 5:7 (NASB)

Waiting — derived from the Greek word meaning “expectation” — is a common theme in the Bible as it is in life. I’ve seen spring every year before this year, yet something in me will not rest until I see that flower bud poking through the ground. Like the Psalmist says:

“I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope.” Psalm 139:5 (NASB)

Oh, how he waits. The repetition of the word “wait” in this verse highlights the intensity of this longing and expectation. Look at another translation of the same verse:

“I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Psalm 139:5 (NIV)

With his whole being, he waits. We do the same. Will my health recover? Will my loved one recover from addiction? Will I get that job? Will someone love me? Our whole being waits.

And hopes!

“You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” Psalm 145:16 (NIV)

“And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” Romans 8:23 (ESV).

We know we can rely on Him. We anticipate that morning of resurrection. We go deeper into our faith as our “soul does wait.” And just as those first crocuses surprise us every spring, we will jump for joy at the news that “He is risen!” (Matthew 28:6, KJV)

Monday Eye-Opener: Is This a Calling?

This weekend, I felt prompted to return to one of my greatest joys — writing poetry. That prompting was followed by several confirmations,  including encouragement from my husband, who is also a poet. I especially like to write poems that encourage readers or that celebrate the beauty of God’s creation. The longer I write, the more it feels like a calling.

A calling does not necessarily have to be a job. But how do we discern a calling?

“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NRSV)

“Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Colossians 3:17 (NRSV)

Sometimes a calling requires courage.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

Sometimes a need tugs at our heart.

“Let people learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs, so that they may not be unproductive.” Titus 3:14 (NRSV)

We are all called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, according to our gifts.

“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” Colossians 3:12 (NRSV)

Today, let our eye-opener be increased awareness of those promptings and tugs. Whether it’s creative writing, political activism, caregiving, or a new job, God may be trying to tell you something!

Getting Out of God’s Way

“Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything about the Almighty?” Job 11:7 NLT

One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn as a believer is to remember that God is in control. I am embarrassed when I realize how often I forget that I am not God. I know that I should leave my worries and overwhelm at the cross.

As a caregiver, I am especially likely to worry and hover. What will the lab results show? Is he sleeping enough? How many grams of sugar are in the meal? Is that a heart failure cough or a hay fever cough?

So many times I have prayed, “Father, I know You’ve got this” and a few seconds later, “but I’d better take it back in case You’re too busy!”

How about you? Do you find yourself taking up what you left at His feet, “just in case?” Let’s look at God’s word for help.

“Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me Isaiah” 46:9 ESV

“All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:3 ESV

As the only Uncreated One, God is unique in His eternal wisdom, perspective and power. We already completely depend on Him. When we acknowledge our dependence, we step aside and let Him work in our lives without our interference.

“yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” 1 Cor 8:6 NASB

We are created by God and exist for God, for His purpose. When we surrender to His power and purpose, we acknowledge that He alone is God. We cannot know the things He knows. It is probably best that we cannot know these things. But we know that His purpose has our best interests in mind.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

There’s a peace that comes when we humble ourselves and remember that God existed before the world and before its people. We don’t have to know all these because we can’t. Only God can do that. Jesus reminds us of His eternal nature:

“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’” John 8:58 NASB.

The good news is, we have a God of hope. A God who not only is in control, but who sent His Son as our Savior.

“Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:13 ESV

In this verse from Titus, the Greek word for hope also means “trust” and “expectation.” And let’s face it — trust is a tricky word here on earth. But we’re talking about a different kind of trust and hope. This is not a hope that says, “gee, wouldn’t it be nice if…” This is a hope that we can rely on, that only God provides.

And when I remember this hope, I remember why God is God alone. I remember why it’s a good idea to leave my worries and sleepless nights in His hands.

I pray that as you end your week, you will find rest as God takes your burdens as only He can.

Follow Him

When I was growing up, I would hear other kids talking about the things they planned to give up for Lent.  Chocolate invariably topped many lists, which also included TV, movies, and other fun things. I did not really understand what Lent was at the time, so for years I pictured it a dreary time of doing without.

But what if we focus on the treasures that we receive during this 40-day season? Now that I have had time to mature in my faith, I love the Lenten season as a time of closeness with Jesus. A time to press in and walk with Him.

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” John 1:43 (NIV)

In our garden, green shoots push through dead and decaying leaves, stems and black walnut shells left by feasting squirrels. Buds appear on the plum and apple trees. Like our 40-day walk with Jesus in the desert, this gray, damp, cold time of year brings beauty and hope if we look closely enough.

“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” John 1:39 (NIV)

We can recognize His presence more often during Lent, as we commit to deeper prayer time and closer study of God’s word. We push through the remains of a barren season, grateful for patches of green.

So this is day one of a yearly journey that many will choose. I pray that your week is going well with unexpected blessings.

Monday Eye-Opener: That He May Lift You

Today we look forward not only to the new week, but also the beginning of the Lenten season. Lent is my favorite time in the liturgical year — a time to walk closely with the Lord through the wilderness and toward the cross and resurrection. 

My husband John said it well, when he wrote:  

“My heart tells me as the Lenten Season is upon us all I really want are these 40 days in relationship with God. Please say a small prayer for me I do not travel from this path.”  

That’s really what the whole story is about, isn’t it? There is some risk as we surrender our old selves and reach for a new life in Christ. Where will this path through the wilderness take us? We are not accustomed to humbling ourselves these days.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” 1 Peter 5:6 (NIV). 

God loves a humble heart. Yes, God can lift us up with His mighty hand, if we let go of our agendas and pride and wait on His unerring timing. 

As my husband added, 

“Please pray I do spend the 40 days of Lent and thereafter with Jesus. I feel this is my imperative to creating a rich and beautiful life. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

A good prayer to open our eyes this Monday morning, don’t you think?

Finding Quiet Time

How’s your week going? You deserve a break, so pour yourself a cup and have a seat. Perhaps you haven’t enjoyed a quiet moment since the week began.

It’s taken a while — years, actually — for me to fully appreciate the necessity of regular quiet time with the Lord. For years, I nodded knowingly as I read devotions that reflect on the closer walk with God that develops during quiet time. Then I would set my Bible on the book shelf, where it stayed for weeks until another inspirational article convicted me.

“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.” Psalm  62:1 (NIV)

Schedules can get away from us, and responsibilities and “shoulds” can convince us that we don’t have time. As a family caregiver and self-employed writer, I have certainly experienced unpredictable schedules and deadlines. I tend to take an “all-or-nothing” approach to regular quiet time: if I can’t commit to an hour at the same time every day, I don’t do it at all.

But I’m missing too much by insisting on perfection in my quiet time. When I can (which is most of the time), I do the hour at an allotted time. But I’m also aware of quiet moments when I can thank the Lord my Shepherd for guiding me through the day. A morning walk with our dog becomes a prayer walk. Waiting for a doctor appointment gives me healing time with the Lord.

So it’s a process that I know I will never perfect. Instead, I am thankful for hours or minutes in the presence of the One who can perfect my faith.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)

Sit a bit longer and finish that cup. Quiet your “shoulds.” Listen for Him. You’ll see that you’ve “chosen what is better.”

Monday Eye-Opener: With His Loving Eye

There’s something about Monday morning that brings a strong reaction. A glance at social media proves the obvious — that it’s not a popular morning of the week. But it’s also Blank Slate Day, with a chance to start anew. As Anne Shirley in Lucy Maude Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables notes, “Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it yet.”

In my Monday Eye-Opener posts, I hope to find bits of encouragement to share as we start each week. It certainly helps when we know that we have a loving God who is watching and guiding us.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” (Psalm 32:8, NIV)

Did you catch that? God not only watches us and instructs us — He watches “with a loving eye on you.” He loves us! Any counsel or course correction from Him is therefore always for our good and to give us hope. 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

When we dedicate our week to pleasing God who loves us, we direct our intentions and energies to the One who has the wisdom and strength that no one else has. The One who created us with a purpose. The One who has loved us since forever, and who never changes or breaks His promises.

What could be a better eye-opener than that? 

Evidence of Things Not Seen

It’s snowing. Again. In January we thought we had skipped winter as we enjoyed sunny, 50-degree days. As the sun rose higher and daylight hours increased, the first buds emerged on our fruit trees. But less than a month before spring, it’s a different story. Most of February has been snowy, cold and gray. It certainly doesn’t look like spring is just around the corner.

I have to remind myself that cold weather is a necessity for fruit trees, and that deep roots store nourishment and keep plants going under all that snow. 

It’s like that with so many things that we hope for, isn’t it? Whether it's spring, improved health, or reconciliation with an estranged friend, we hope for and look forward to things we cannot see.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

We know that God is faithful.

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

I hope that this blog can be a place of refreshment and remembrance of God's faithfulness. Let's look closely and recognize the hope and joy that we have while we wait. Like those apple tree buds that stay in spite of a late snow.

Or the pint-size snowman I built for our dog today.

As simple as the first sips of coffee in the morning. 

Hope you'll visit and comment often!